A dining oasis in the heart of Downtown

May 6, 2015

Story By: Andy Beth Miller | Photos by: Nathalie Walker

For Honolulu’s professionals earning their bread and butter in the heart of the city’s Downtown district, dining at The Mandalay offers that one pleasant oasis in the midst of what often can be a bustling urban area.

Regardless of the stresses any work day may bring along, when lunchtime rolls around, and that clock on the wall beckons that it’s time for a well-deserved break, every worker bee can rejoice knowing that there is one restaurant offering an edible escape. Even better, it’s just a short stroll from their cubicles and cement skyscrapers.

At The Mandalay, conveniently located right on Alakea Street, customers can enjoy Cantonese cuisine and Hong Kong Style dim sum within an elegant setting — without spending a fortune. Long known as the area’s go-to destination for lunch meetings among friends, families and colleagues, waiter Wilfred Le- ung “dishes” to us about just what makes The Man-dalay special.

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Chiu Chou Style Duck ($16.95)

At this destination, the food speaks for itself. The Mandalay’s first masterpiece is its Pumpkin with Seafood Curry ($38). A feast that feeds six to 10 people, the meal presents a whole pumpkin that is boiled, hollowed out, then filled to the brim with a delicious curry concoction of stir-fried scallop, calamari, shrimp, onions, bell peppers and of course, pumpkin.

Pumpkin with Seafood Curry ($38)

Leung explains that, “When parties order, we section and serve the dish according to the number of people (portioning out pumpkin by party size).”

Named after the province in China of which it is a specialty, Chiu Chou Style Duck ($16.95) serves three to four, and plates tender and juicy portions of duck that have been marinated in a specialty herbed-sauce and cooked to perfection. The meat is served with dipping sauce and flanked with marinated and deep fried tofu sliced into thin slabs.

After the meal, Leung smiles and reminds us of The Mandalay’s upcoming Mother’s Day special brunch and dinner buffets to take place May 10. Reservations still are being accepted, so diners are encouraged to save their spot by calling 525-8585.